West Arnhem Regional Council

Exciting Opportunity! West Arnhem Regional Council is hiring a Manager Technical Services in Darwin! Find out more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/gPb_2yez #localgovernment #westarnhemregionalcouncil #localgov #jobopportunity

Congratulations to our staff who received 'Length of Service Awards' recently! The awards were presented by West Arnhem Regional Council Mayor James Woods and celebrate staff who have been with Council for 5, 10 or 15 years – what an achievement! 🏅 Congratulations to all recipients across our Communities!

West Arnhem Regional Council proudly welcomed two new Australian citizens in the West Arnhem region following a heartfelt ceremony on Friday, 29 November 2024. Ming Chi Yang, originally from Taiwan, and Chanura Hirushamal, from Sri Lanka, officially made their pledge of commitment to Australia in front of friends and family - marking a significant milestone in their lives. As the Presiding Officer, Mayor James Woods extended a warm welcome to the new citizens on behalf of the Council and the broader West Arnhem region. West Arnhem Regional Council congratulates Chanura and Ming Chi on their new journey as Australians!

The West Arnhem Regional Council (WARC) held an Ordinary Council Meeting on Tuesday, 19 November, hearing a range of reports from various departments and hosting several key presentations. As part of the technical services report, Council received an overview of all Local Authority and other Council projects currently under way across the region.  Throughout November, some of the key projects developments have been: · Gunbalanya Oval upgrades, including resurfacing, line marking and irrigation works · Maningrida Oval Changerooms construction, with the concrete pad and block work moving along very quickly · Paving of walkways has commenced at a number of Gunbalanya Aged Care homes  As part of the visitors and presentations, Council was privileged to confer with Department of Housing, Local Government and Community Development Chief Executive Officer Luccio Cercarelli PSM on local government matters. Elected Members also received an update and an in-person demonstration of the new Bibi planes currently being trialled in the West Arnhem region by Charles Darwin University. It is hoped that the pilotless Bibi aircraft will support delivery of medicine and other health care products between Jabiru, Gunbalanya and outstations. Red Lily Health Board representatives also attended the Council meeting to explore ideas for strengthening partnerships aimed at improving health outcomes across the region. Council then met with Traditional Credit Union (TCU) representatives who discussed future opportunities to improve banking services for remote Communities. NT Police Superintendent Jody Nobbs and Acting Senior Sergeant Christopher Harden also attended the Council meeting to provide an overview of their ongoing partnership with WARC under a Memorandum of Understanding. NT Police also emphasised their commitment to attending upcoming Local Authority meetings across the region. During a meeting break, Elected Members were invited to attend the West Arnhem Youth Leadership Summit which involved young people travelling from five of #WestArnhem communities to engage in hands-on learning experiences designed to develop their leadership and explore their future aspirations. The Elected Members were fortunate to join other Community representatives to hear the students’ final presentations on their vision for a strong future for the region. All Council meetings are open to the public, with dates and agendas available on the West Arnhem Regional Council website.

Last week, we wrapped up an incredible Summit bringing together young leaders from Gunbalanya, Jabiru, Maningrida, and Warruwi! Over three days, these inspiring students explored leadership, built meaningful connections, and developed actionable ideas to make a difference in their schools and communities. Some the highlights (there were many!): - Students reflected on their strengths and leadership styles. - Groups collaborated to create innovative ideas for their schools and communities. - Students shared their ideas with Traditional Owners, West Arnhem Regional Council Mayor and Elected Members, key stakeholders and partners. The best part? Several groups have already pitched their projects back in their communities, taking real steps to bring their ideas to life! This summit wasn’t just about leadership - it was about empowerment, self-efficiency, and turning ideas into action. Thank you to everyone who supported this event, and mostly the young leaders who showed us how bright the future is in West Arnhem!

West Arnhem Regional Council's Elected Members participated in a valuable training session with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Community Development on Monday, 18 November. The session covered key topics essential for good governance and decision-making, including: · Introduction to finances · Council meeting procedures and decision-making · Understanding Local Government · Roles and responsibilities · Code of Conduct · Conflict of interest Ongoing training ensures Elected Members are well-equipped to serve our Communities with integrity and informed decision-making. Thank you to the Department for delivering this training!

What a week in Maningrida! West Arnhem Regional Council is proud to have been a part of the Maningrida Footy Festival hosted by the Sydney Swans, which is also encouraging the community to ‘Kick the Habit’ as part of the Australian Government’s Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS) program. Thank you to everyone who was involved! Mala'la Health Service Aboriginal Corporation Sydney Swans

Mayor James Woods recently met with Member for Arafura Manuel Brown in Maningrida to discuss governance and the expected changes with the new Territory Government for the Council and our stakeholders. Together, they promised to continue to put Community needs first.

West Arnhem Regional Council (WARC) held its October Ordinary Council Meeting via video conference on Wednesday, 23 October. The meeting covered key updates from various departments, including finance, technical services, and waste management. With the wet season just around the corner, WARC staff are busy completing current projects and planning future works across the region before heavy rains make roads impassable. During the meeting, Councillors acknowledged the significant number of ongoing and near-complete projects, and expressed gratitude for the staff’s hard work. Infrastructure Projects: - Warruwi Community Hall: Reroofing is underway, and an additional storage container with roofing and roller doors has been installed. - Maningrida’s Malala Road: Drainage works are scheduled to commence soon.   Local Authority-Funded Projects: - Gunbalanya Shelters: Nearing completion. - Gunbalanya Aged Care: Pavers will be installed at various clients' homes to improve mobility during the wet season. - Maningrida Outdoor Gym: 95% complete, providing the community with a new fitness facility. - New Year's Eve Fireworks in Maningrida: Planning is already underway. - Gunbalanya Drinking Fountain: A new cold-water drinking fountain has been installed outside the Gunbalanya Council Office for public use.   Recreation Facility Upgrades: - Jabiru’s Brockman Oval: New grandstands were installed in time for the Jabiru Bombers’ first home game last weekend. - Gunbalanya Oval: Contractors are set to begin soil improvement, surfacing, and line-marking works in early November. - Maningrida Oval: Additional grandstands will be fully installed ahead of the Sydney Swans visit in November, funded by the Local Authority. With these projects in motion, WARC continues its commitment to enhancing Community infrastructure and services to build stronger Communities.

Community safety is priority! Our team at West Arnhem Regional Council has been hard at work carrying out extensive road upgrades across Maningrida, Warruwi, and Gunbalanya this dry season. Here are the highlights for Maningrida – our biggest Community in West Arnhem: • Maningrida Airport Road: pothole repairs, edge breaks, shoulder works, resealing and line marking • Maningrida top camp road: pothole repairs, edge breaks, shoulder works and resealing works In Gunbalanya, the upgrades included: • Back Road: reconstruction, resealing and line marking • 5kms of shoulder maintenance works and line marking All these upgrades are done just in time for the wet season, ensuring safer roads for our Communities - what a brilliant outcome! A big thank you to the Territory’s Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics and Roads to Recovery for their support in making this happen.